Comparing ourselves to Americans

In the April edition of the Walrus, the new Editor-in- Chie, Jonathan Kay, wrote a two page piece on how Canadians no longer compare our relationship, progress or policies with our neighbour to the south. He suggests that in the past "our relationship with the United States was the great neurotic obsession of our intellectual life"(Kay). Kay sees it as a positive thing that every conversation about social policy, health care or international relationships is not predicated on whether or not those policies or relationships are better or worse that the USA's or whether or not they will either offend them or put us at a disadvantage. He further argues that when there are discussions about social policy, health care or international relationships, Canadians can now intelligently discuss the positives and negatives of those policies on their merits as opposed to being in "awe of the moneyed colossus" (Kay). Part of me wishes that were true. Especially that bit about having intelligent debates.

Kay, by his own admission, has written and debated from within the right side of the political spectrum for most of his professional life. In fact when I read that he had been appointed to his new position I was somewhat concerned as the Walrus has in the past provided a forum in which public critical thinking can occur. I am unconvinced that someone who has made their living articulating and defending the views of the right can fulfill this role. When I read his inaugural editorial my worst fears were realized. For many Canadians of my generation examining and defending the differences between us and those who lived south of the border were more than a neurotic intellectual exercise. They were a loud protestation that we were different and that we needed to consciously work on maintaining those differences. The Canadians that I knew, and those that I continue to meet along the way, whenever we meet those from the USA - we brag about those social policies etc. We were proud of those differences. The best example of that was during the summer of 2003. Canadians are not known for rabid flag waving but I saw more Canadian flags in all parts of Canada including Alberta the summer that the government said that they were not prepared to support the Americans in their war in Iraq. It was sound policy and it didn't matter (in spite of all the rhetoric from the right) if we offended anyone.  We were proud to be different.

I fear that, unlike Kay who believes that we don't think about or compare ourselves to the USA because we know we are a strong competent country, I think that we don't enter into those conversations anymore because we know we are know that we (sadly) are not that different from them. Every year there is less differences. Every year we give up just a little bit of that special identity. Every year in the pursuit of international trade agreements, global markets  and finding the lowest common denominator to make money we become more like them.  

Later in the same issue of the Walrus, I was delighted to read a long article on the influence Americans who have migrated to Canada have had on Vancouver. It was a consistent theme expressed by many of the individuals quoted that they came to Canada because it was a place where things were possible. A place where there can be a public debate of doing what is right as opposed to doing what had always been done or doing right because it is the best economically. A number of those interviewed expressed disappointment that the very things that drew them to Canada such as our social policies are being eradicated. As a group, these immigrants appear to be concerned about the "American shadows falling over Canada" (Ross).

Rather than being pleased with ourselves for being their equals - maybe we should be concerned too.